Insulating cover for disposable serving containers and method of using same

ABSTRACT

A fabric cover is configured with a decorative fabric skirt coupled to the periphery edge of an insulating bottom piece. The fabric cover has a skirt having a width extending between a top edge and a bottom edge. The bottom edge of the fabric skirt is attached to the periphery edge of the insulating bottom piece. The top edge of the skirt is folded around a draw string and has opening at the ends exposing draw string pulls. A hot container is set onto the insulating bottom piece and the draw string pulls are extended to gather the fabric skirt around the ends and sides of the container without deforming the container. Draw string clamps are used to hold extended draw string pulls in a desired position to secure the fabric skirt to the container. The disposable container is thus insulated and made presentable.

RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application claims the benefit of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/765148, filed Feb. 3, 2006.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates in general to insulating covers for containers used to serve food for gatherings or for catering.

BACKGROUND

Aluminum disposable containers are very popular for preparing bulk food for parties, social events or for catering. Normally, one prepares the food in these disposable containers and then transfers the food to glass, ceramic or metal containers for serving where the disposable containers would not make for pleasant presentation of the food stuff. Since this somewhat defeats the purpose for the disposable containers, it would be desirable to have a way to use these disposable containers for food preparation and then convert them to pleasing serving dishes that complement the serving table.

There is, therefore, a need for an insulated cover assembly that fits over the aluminum serving containers, insulates the bottom of the container so that it will not damage a serving table, and converts the disposable container to a pleasing serving dish that complements the serving table while preserving the containers disposable functionality.

SUMMARY

A fabric cover assembly comprises a semi-rigid thermally insulating bottom piece that has a width and length and substantially conforms to the dimensions of the bottom of the container. The insulating bottom piece is for supporting and preventing heat transfer from the disposable container. A skirt of material having a width extending from a top edge to a bottom edge is attached at the bottom edge to the periphery of the insulating bottom piece. The top edge of the skirt is folded over a draw string. The folded edge has openings at both ends of the length of the fabric cover exposing pulls of the draw string.

A hot, disposable container is placed on the insulating bottom of the fabric cover and the pulls of the drawstring are extended causing the skirt to gather thus covering, without deforming, the sides of the disposable container. Additionally the draw string pulls thread through a clamp which is used to retain the draw string at a desired extended position to keep the fabric cover secured to the container. In another embodiment the clamp further has features for clipping it to the fabric covered container top edge to prevent a user from inadvertently grasping the clamp and draw strings in an attempt to lift a filled container. While it is envisioned that the fabric cover according to embodiments of the present invention will be disposable, it is understood that the fabric cover may be reused depending on how much wear and soiling it experiences.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the container resting on the insulating bottom of an embodiment of the present invention while showing the pulls of the draw string, draw string clamp, and the un-gathered sides of the fabric cover;

FIG. 2A is a side view of a disposable container being placed into a fabric cover configured according to embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 2B is a side view of a disposable container resting on the insulating bottom of the fabric cover configured according to embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a top view of the fabric cover gathered around the container with the draw string clamps secured.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known opaque elements may be shown in transparent form in order to show necessary detail of the present invention. For the most part, details concerning detailed dimensions and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention and are within the skills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art.

Refer not to the drawings wherein depicted elements are not necessarily shown to scale and wherein like or similar elements are designated by the same reference numeral through the several views.

FIG. 1 is a top view showing an insulating fabric cover 100 according to embodiments of the present invention. The insulating fabric cover 100 has an insulating bottom piece 106 configured to support a container (not shown) while preventing heat from conducting to a table surface. Insulating fabric cover 100 has a material skirt comprising ends 103 and 108 and sides 107 and 109. The top edge 111 has a draw string and openings exposing pulls 102 and 104 from gathering the skirt around an inserted container (not shown) without deforming the container. Draw string clamps 121 and 122 are used to hold the draw string pulls at a desired extended position to keep the fabric cover skirt securely against the side and ends of the container. In an exemplary clamp (121 or 122), the draw string pull (loop) passes through an opening in the clamp and a pin engages the draw string pushes it through an opposing hole to keep it in position. This type of draw string clamp is often used on hooded garments as a means for keeping the hood around a user's head. Other types of draw string clamps may be used and are still considered within the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a side view of the fabric cover 100 with a container 101 positioned for insertion. Container 101 has container body 110 and top edge 105. In an aluminum container 101, top edge 105 is folded and “crinkled” to give it strength against deformation. Edge 105 is shown wavy to illustrate this type of disposable container 101. Fabric cover 100 has insulating bottom 106 shown. Draw string pulls 102 and 104 are shown along with ends 103 and 108 and side 107. Drawing string clamps 121 and 122 are shown on draw string pulls 102 and 104.

FIG. 2B is a side view of a container 101 resting on insulating bottom 106 with the draw string partially drawn with pulls 102 and 104. Container body 110 is shown dotted as it would be blocked by fabric cover side 107. The top edge 105 of the container 101 is shown slightly above fabric cover 100.

FIG. 3 is a top view illustrating a container 101 and fabric cover 100 gather in its final position covering container 101. The top edge 111 of fabric cover 100 contacts and conforms to the top edge 105 of the container 101. Sides 107 and 109 of fabric cover 100 conform to the sides of container 101. Ends 103 and 108 are further retained to the ends of container 101 with spring loaded clips 121 and 122. Draw string clamps 121 and 122 may be of the type used on hooded garments or clothing bags. In another embodiment the draw string clamps 121 and 122 may be configured to clip onto the top edge 105 of container 101 and fabric cover top edge 111 to keep a user from inadvertently using the draw string pull as a lift handle.

Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 

1. An insulating cover for decorating the ends and sides while thermally insulating the bottom of a disposable food container comprising: (a) a thermally insulating piece having a thickness and a planar surface with a shape defined by a peripheral edge; (b) a skirt having a width extending between a bottom edge coupled around the periphery edge of the thermally insulating piece and a top edge folded around a draw string, wherein the top edge of the skirt has openings exposing pulls sections of the draw string that are extendable to gather the skirt around the sides and ends of the disposable food container when it is placed on the planar surface of the thermally insulating piece; and (c) a draw string clamp for holding the draw string pulls in a desired extended position to secure the skirt to the disposable food container.
 2. The insulating cover of claim 1, wherein the draw string clamp is further configured with a clip for covering and securing the draw string pulls to a top edge of the disposable food container when extended to prevent using the draw string pulls to lift the covered disposable food container.
 3. The insulating cover of claim 1, wherein the skirt is configured to be decorative.
 4. The insulating cover of claim 1, the skirt is a fabric skirt.
 5. The insulating cover of claim 1, wherein the insulating cover is a disposable insulating cover.
 6. The insulating cover of claim 1, wherein the insulating cover is a reusable insulating cover.
 7. A method comprising the steps of: (a) setting a disposable container on an insulating cover, wherein (i) the insulating cover comprises a thermally insulating piece having a thickness and a planar surface with a shape defined by a peripheral edge (ii) the insulting cover further comprises a skirt having a width extending between a bottom edge coupled around the periphery edge of the thermally insulating piece and a top edge folded around a draw string, and (iii) the disposable container is set on the planar surface; (b) extending the draw string to gather the skirt around the sides and ends of the disposable food container set on the planar surface; and (c) securing the draw string to secure the insulating cover to the disposable food container.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein in the disposable container is hot when placed on the insulating cover.
 9. The insulating cover of claim 7, wherein the skirt is configured to be decorative.
 10. The method of claim 7, wherein the skirt is a fabric skirt.
 11. The method of claim 7, further comprising disposing of the skirt with the disposable container.
 12. The method of claim 7, wherein the draw string comprises draw string pulls.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the draw string is secured by clamping the draw string pulls.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the draw string pulls are clamped with a clip.
 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of securing the draw string comprises securing the draw string pulls to a top edge of the disposable food container when extended to prevent using the draw string pulls to lift the covered disposable food container.
 16. The method of claim 7, wherein the draw strings are secured to the disposable food container.
 17. An insulating fabric cover for decorating the ends and sides while thermally insulating the bottom of a disposable food container comprising: (a) a thermally insulating piece having a thickness and a planar surface with a shape defined by a peripheral edge; (b) a fabric skirt, configured to be decorative, and having a width extending between a bottom edge coupled around the periphery edge of the thermally insulating piece and a top edge folded around a draw string, wherein the top edge of the fabric skirt has openings exposing pulls sections of the draw string that are extendable to gather the fabric skirt around the sides and ends of the disposable food container when it is placed on the planar surface of the insulating piece; and (c) a draw string clamp for holding the draw string pulls in a desired extended position to secure the fabric skirt to the container.
 18. The fabric cover of claim 17, wherein the draw string clamp is further configured with a clip for covering and securing the draw string pulls to the top edge of the container when extended to prevent using the draw string pulls to lift the covered disposable food container. 